Kurram rival tribes agree on peace accord

ISLAMABAD (Agencies) - A peace pact has been brokered between two rival factions of a tribe - Toori and Mengal - in Kurram Agency here Thursday.
Addressing a news conference here Thursday following several days of deliberations by the jirga, tribal elders, elected representatives from the area and the Political Agent expressed confidence that the accord would herald peace and tranquillity in the Agency.
Under the agreement, there will be exchange of dead bodies and kidnapped people in the presence of the administration, roads including main Thall-Parachinar road closed for about one and a half years, would be reopened for all kind of traffic by Friday (today), seven hundred displaced persons will be allowed to return to their homes. Supply of food and medicines would be ensured. Bunkers would be vacated and handed over to FC personnel and political administration.
The accord envisages fine worth 60 million rupees on violation of the understanding and transgression would be treated as anti-peace move and violators dealt with accordingly.
The jirga would go to Kurram on 25th of this month to ensure implementation of the agreement by both sides and jirga members have already started contacts with the rival groups for the purpose.
It was also decided that a tribal jirga representing all tribal areas would be held in Kurram on November 2 in which one more agreement would be made to evacuate the occupied areas.
The tribal elders assured cooperation of all the parties of Agency to the Government for maintaining peace in the area. They also demanded of the government to step up the number of FC troops in the Agency.
The Political Agent proposed that the Government should provide massive development funds to Kurram to fight its backwardness and serve as an incentive for other agencies to go for peace.
The jirga members thanked the elected representatives of the area for their contribution towards restoration of peace
The jirga members Malik Aman Ullah, Haji Kamal Hussain, Maisam Ali Toori, Gulzar Hussan Toori, Haji Salim Khan, Subhan Ullah called upon the government to take practical steps for the restoration of power supply to the Agency.

 Friday, 

October 17, 2008